Sunday, June 15, 2014

South Africa Opens Country's First Green Self Storage Company

All over the world, companies have been pitching into the effort to save the environment and “go green”. Some corporations have gone as far as to misuse and falsely identify with the green movement in an attempt to drive sales and connect with environmentally conscious consumers. However, one self storage company in South Africa is putting doing more than just talking. Cape Town now proudly boasts one of the few green self storage facilities in the world.

GreenCube Self Storage recently opened in the town of Ottery, located in the Western Cape. The company has an innovative way of approaching both self storage and the environment. GreenCube’s 303 unit building, which is spread over nearly 1.5 acres of land, utilizes insulating concrete formwork (ICF) and is the first of its kind in Africa. The advantage of using ICF technology is that it keeps the temperature inside the building even throughout the year, which in turns creates a reduction in the company’s carbon footprint.

The self storage facility’s commitment to the environment doesn’t stop with the design of the building. The company has also partnered with other green initiatives in Africa, such as Abalimi-Harvest of Hope and Greenpop. These organizations are involved in urban agriculture and tree planting respectively. GreenCube has committed to purchasing a vegetable plant from Abalimi each time a storage unit is rented. That plant will then be given to the customer as a reminder that by renting with GreenCube, he or she will be making a positive impact on the environment. The self storage facility will also be assisting Greenpop, which has planted over 40, 000 trees, with its expanding storage needs.

According to a press release from the company, “GreenCube aims to promote a variety of community projects, and in doing so hopes to make a positive impact in the lives of both our customers and those less fortunate,” says Steve Ruffel, of the GreenCube Group. “We are thrilled to be involved with an organisation such as Abalimi-Harvest of Hope and Greenpop which does so much good for our communities and the environment and look forward to strengthening these relationships.”

The green movement in the self storage industry exists here in the United States as well. Companies like iStoreGreen and Greenbox are just two of the several self storage facilities that have made a commitment to operating in a manner that will have the least impact on the environment. These companies have been using recycled materials, planting trees for customers, repurposing containers and using biodegradable packing materials.

No matter how committed members of the self storage facility are to the green movement, they cannot do it alone. We at OMGStorage encourage our readers to everything possible to making the environment a cleaner and safer place for us all. Have great green ideas that you use in your business or home? Share them with us in the comment section!